The small town of Wesleyan, Georgia is bitterly divided over whether to remove the statue of a Confederate general. Marietta, whose husband Harry has recently died, is on one side; her brother, a well-known trial attorney is on on the other. When an ice store paralyzes the town during Harry’s funeral, people are thrown together for shelter. Marietta finds herself marooned with three others all coming to grips with their feelings.
The ice storm precipitates a crisis when the town emerges from the ice storm to find the statue gone. Things rapidly swing out of control as feelings run high about the vandalism. Some people support the action, others are ready to fight, including Marietta’s broth, Macon.
Although the statue of a Confederate general is at the center of the controversy, this is not a book about racial problems. It is the story of people coming to terms with their inner demons and growing because of it. In the beginning of the book, I didn’t like Marietta. She seemed rigid and had turned away from friends because her ideas differed from theirs. This included her brother and her former best friend, Butter. As the story progressed, I liked her better because she tried to see others point of view. She didn’t want to lose her friends and family.
The book is beautifully written. The setting and life of a small southern town is brought to life. It‘s a delight to read about the setting and the characters. I also liked the fact that the story was told from multiple points of view. It showed that everyone has their own problems and can grow.
I received this book from Penguin Random House for this review.
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